Stowage of fuel tanks



March 24, 1942. H. SCOTT-PAINE I sTowAGE oFjUELTANxs 2 lsheets-sheen 1 Filed May 15, 1940 2 2 M n, n hf@ w m i m o .-TJ., m um /w n L A i l l.V .A T Pwm T F, y 4 .QNNN .NN NN mm @N WN NNNN NNNN. N m w m H m u T H ,E QN m w u, Nm h my m w NN M f NN@ QN. NN- NN Patented Mar. 24, 1942 oFFlCE 2,211,272 srowacuz or FUEL TANKS 'Hubert Scott-Paine, Hythe, Southampton, Y England i v Application May 15, 1940, serial No. 335.268

In Great Britain June 5, 1939 4 Claims.

This invention relates to the stowage of fuel tanks in motor-boats and has for its object to provide an improved construction suitable for use in Ihigh-speed motor torpedo boats where large tanks are required. High-speed motorboats are comparatively lightly built, and in order that they should have a suitable radius of action, the quantity of fuel carried is very large; since it is desirable to keep the weight of the vessel down to a minimum, the tanks also are lightly constructed. It is undesirable to secure the tanks rigidly to the structure of the boat, by brackets and such like fastenings since relative movement may take place'which will severely strain the tanks.

According to this invention means for mounting a fuel tank in a high-speed motor-boat comprises, a blanket-like packing of felt impregnated with petroleum jelly and covered with canvas surrounding the tank, with one or more rigid bridge-pieces fitting over the packing and tank, and iiexible cables which engage said bridge-pieces and are anchored at their ends to the structure of the boat. Preferably, the cables are provided with resilient connections to their anchorages.

When the tank is situated close to a bulkhead or other structural part of the boat, theremay also be provided wedging means inserted between the felt packing and the bulkhead.

In the accompanying drawings, which illusltrate one embodiment of this invention,

Figure 1- is a transverse sectional view of a boat showing three tanks,

Figure 2 is a partial planview of Figure Figure 3 is a part-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the particular construction illustrated in the drawings, a whole compartment of a highspeed motor torpedo boat, between forward and after bulkheads, is devoted to fuel tanks which are inserted through a suitably large hatchway in theV deck. A flooring I of slats is provided on transverse and longitudinal frame-members ofthe boat to provide a suitably large bearing area on which the tanks stand, and in the form illustrated, three tanks are provided, viz., two wing tanks II and I2 and a centre tank I3; the wlng tanks are shaped appropriately to fit the sides I4 of the vessel and the centre tank I3 occupies the space between the wing tanks. ,The tanks extend the full length between the bulkheads of which one is indicated at I5.

A blanket-like packing or` lining is provided around each of the tanks as shown at I6, this l, and

packing consisting of a suitable' thickness of felt impregnated with petroleum jelly andcovered with canvas dressed with a suitable dressing to withstand white ants or other vermin and the like. This packing extends also over. the tops of the tanks, being made in pieces of a convenient size to overlap the top as shown in Figure 1.

The tanks are held down on to the flooring by means of rigid channeled members I1 which are shaped to fit over the top of the tank and a suitable distance downeach side outside the packing, and a steel cable I8 attached at each end to a spring anchorage I9 on the flooring extends over the tank in this channel. Conveniently a turn-buckle 20 is provided at the top of each tank for the purpose of tightening. Two or more yof these channeled members with their cables are disposed transversely of the tank along its length.

The channelled members I1 are suiliciently lrigid to prevent any localised stress from the cable being applied to the tank, and the blanketlike packing between the members I1 and the tank further assists in preventing any severe local stress so that the tanks can be securely held in place without subjecting them to undesirable stresses despite the forces to which they are subjected by the movement of the boat as a whole or any small yield which may occur in the structure of the boat.

When the tanks occupy the whole length of a compartment between bulkheads, it is preferred to further restrain them against any movement by wedging them between the bulkheads. This is conveniently effected -as shown in Figure 3 where a pair of Wedge ymembers 2I, 22 'are provided between the blanket-like packing I6 on the end of the tank and the bulkhead I5. Preferably these wedges are sufliciently wide to engage substantially the whole end wall of the tank, although'it would be appreciated'that if the wedge member 2I adjacent the tank is made suiliciently rigid two or more narrow wedges 22 spaced apart could be used with it.

This invention provides a very safe and secure stowage of the fuel tanks which enables Vtanks of a conveniently light construction to be used and at the same time permits them readily to be removed and replaced when required. The felt packing which is impregnated with petroleum jelly prevents any serious leakage of the tanks should they be accidentally damaged and the whole mounting is sufficiently flexible to allow yield or breathing movements of the hull or the tanks without stressing or distorting the tanks unduly.

I claim:

1. In a high-speed motor-boat, the combination with a fuel tank of a blanket-like packing of felt impregnated with petroleum jelly surrounding said tank, a rigid bridge-piece constructed and arranged to be fitted over said packing and tank, and flexible means engaged with said bridge-piece anchored at each end to the structure of the boat.

2. In a high-speed motor-boat, the combination of a fuel tank, a blanket-like packing of felt impregnated with petroleum jelly surrounding said tank, a canvas covering on said felt, a rigid member constructed and arranged to extend over said packing and said tank, and a exible cable engaged with said member and anchored at each end to the structure of the boat.

3. In a high-speed motor-boat, the combination of a fuel tank, a blanket-like packing of felt impregnated with petroleum jelly surrounding said tank, and wedging means constructed and arranged to be interposed between said packing and a bulkhead of the boat.

4. In a high-speed motor-boat, the combination of a fuel tank, a packing of felt impregnated with petroleum jelly covered with canvas enclosing the tops, sides and ends of said tank, a plurality of rigid bridge-pieces constructed and arranged to extend across the said packing and the tops of said tanks, exible cables engaging each of said bridge-pieces resiliently connected to anchorages on the structure of the boat, and wedgng means interposed between the ends of the tank and a bulkhead of the boat.

HUBERT SCOTT-PAIN E. 

